A NOTE FROM FARMER AL
Dear CSA Members, Sometimes things actually do work out just the way we hoped for! Last week was like that. First, the tomato planting: we prepared the ground by applying a thin band of compost right down each row where tomatoes are to be planted. This compost band, 18” wide and 1⁄2” thick, will inoculate the soil with bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and other beneficial microbes which will provide nutrient cycling to the tomatoes. Then, on Friday, we drenched these compost bands with compost tea, further amplifying the microbial population. We then installed drip tubing to moisten the compost and carry the microbes into the soil. So the rain that fell Friday night enhanced all of this work just perfectly. Secondly, the issue of mildew is always looming on the weather horizon this time of year. For Powdery Mildew (it affects peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and grapes: it grows on the skin’s surface, leaving unsightly cosmetic scars!) dry, windy conditions, which we’ve had all this past week, accelerate the growth of powdery mildew; rain, actually destroys it. A good rain, like we had last Friday night, is more effective at controlling Powdery Mildew than sulfur sprays, which are costly and time consuming. Thanks again, for this timely rain! Thirdly, the dust problem: dust on the leaves is the perfect habitat for mites. Mites can defoliate trees if they get established. So this rain washed the dust off all our leaves, thus destroying the mites’ habitat and again saving us all of the control costs. Fourthly, compost was spread in about 30 acres of trees this past week. So this rain was perfect: not only did it enliven and transplant the microbes down into the soil: it also washed the compost dust off the leaves, thus cleaning the leaves and eliminating habitat for those deadly mites. Finally, drought is the dark cloud hanging over all farmers in California, and every storm counts. So, yes, we here at Frog Hollow Farm are very grateful for this latest gift of rain! Best,